Prepare your business now for April employment law changes

3 February 2010

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A number of important changes to regulations will come into force on or around the next common commencement date - 6 April 2010. These include several changes to employment law that you must be aware of if you employ people. Read on to find out how these changes will affect your business.

Introduction of new 'fit note' system

From April 2010, the Government plans to introduce changes to the current sick note system by putting the emphasis on fitness rather than sickness.

The new 'fit notes' will allow a doctor to indicate not just whether an employee is fit or not fit to return to work but also whether an employee ‘may be fit for some work now'. The doctor may then record more information on the note concerning the practical effects of the employee's condition and changes that could be made in the workplace to allow an employee to return to work at an earlier stage.

As an employer, you're not bound to follow the doctor's recommendations as they are provided as advice only. It remains up to the employer to decide if they accept that their employee is capable of working.

As the system relies upon GPs providing practical and consistent information it will be some time before the full effects of the system are clear. Therefore, it is vital that employers have a detailed sick policy in place and this is adhered too.

For comprehensive advice and information on improving your HR practices, see our Employment Guide 2010. It brings together everything you need to know about employment law in one easy-to-understand guide and is packed full of practical guidance and templates.

Paternity leave and pay extended

Under the Work and Families Act 2006, fathers will be able to benefit from up to 26 weeks additional paternity leave, if taken during the second six months of the child's life and the mother has returned to work before the end of her maternity leave period. The aim is to allow parents to split the parenting responsibilities between themselves.

The changes are due to be implemented in April 2010, taking effect for children born on or after April 2011.

Request to time off for training

From April 2010, employees in businesses with 250 or more employees will be able to formally ask their employer for time to train.

An employee may ask for any training that they believe will make them more productive and efficient at work. Though an employer is not obliged to grant this request, they must give it serious consideration and only refuse the request for good business reasons. For more information on the implications of the scheme, read the full feature in this week's newsletter.

Although this change may not affect your business just now, the right will be extended to businesses of all sizes from April 2011, so it pays to make preparations now and see how other, larger businesses handle the legislation.

See our full list of April's legislation changes here,
including changes to pensions, business rates and building regulations.

Prepare your business now for April employment law changes

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